We at the Anderson Headquarters are becoming rather bored of Cancer and we are searching for a hopeful Skipper to chart our course over these particular troublesome waters.
Yesterday saw us sailing around the Solent and racing five other yachts (round-the-world Clippers organised by our best man Harry) and raising just under £20000 for Professor Stebbing and his crew at Imperial College, bringing our new total to almost £65000. This amount will pay the wages of two research scientists for one year. Although Action against Cancer are small charity/ laboratory and need a lot more funding than the relatively tiny amount we have been contributing, they have been packing in huge achievements this last year. Cancer research is slow, however here is a list of the things they have achieved recently.
The identification of important molecules that:
i. Drive breast cancer cells to grow and divide (candidate 12)
ii. Act as a tumour suppressor (candidate 1)
iii. Decrease the spread of lung and breast cancer cells (miR-515- 5p)
Other recent scientific findings by the team include how:
i. Pancreatic tumour growth is reduced by inhibiting a specific combination of molecules
ii. A protein (TP53) affects how normal cells turn into ovarian cancer cells
iii. A gene (LMTK3) is central in breast, colon, gastric and brain cancers.
Further research is underway in all of these areas with the aim of developing ways of diagnosing cancer earlier and treating it more effectively.
One if the most irritating and In my opinion, disrespectful, things numerous people say to me is : ” I really want to read your blog but it just makes me too sad….” I’d liked to present this particular post on their foreheads and ask – how’d ya like them apples? There was no sadness yesterday providing money for ground breaking research.
For Rheya.
me.after.you 
nothing but admiration for you
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£65000?!?!!!! wow – respect…..
and good work on that turn-y wind-y wheel-y thing on the boat Odharna…..
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And all thanks to you too Martha Allfrey. Xx
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Just amazing xxx
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I love and look forward to reading your blog BECAUSE it makes me feel close to you and helps me understand what you might be going through today. Your writing is witty and your bravery that shows up in the form of pressing SEND transmits. It’s your delightful vulnerability that transcends sorrow and presents me, the reader, a window into your unique soul. This does not happen everyday and I am glad for your bolts of lightening whether they are sad, mad or glad. Love is omnipresent. You always reassure me that it is LOVE that makes the world go round.
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Betsy, what a wonderfully generous comment.
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Always interested in following your blog Odharna you are very much in my thoughts with lots of love . XX Aunt
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I find your blogs so encouraging. It has been a privelige to follow you. My father died aged 38 from brain cancer and unfortunately my mother did not cope with her heartbreak and committed suicide 18 months later leaving myself and two brothers. We did not have an easy time emotionally but now 30 years later we have four wonderful children between us who are all happy and living fulfilling lives. My sadness is that I was too young to help my dear mum deal with her grief. She would have had so much joy in her life if she had known her children as adults and her grandchildren. Your children are truly blessed to have you and their father as parents x
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This comment has blown me away and when I’m nervous or embarrassed about posting, I will remember this comment; it will always stay with me.
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